Gas dispensing



W. C. BUTTNER GAS DISPENSING "M Ti", W5@

Filed May l, 1939 I INVENTOR. QZZZQLWZ, (Iuzzfaer.

ATTONEY Patented Mar. 7, 1950 GAS DISPENSING William C. Buttner, Winnetka, Ill., assignor to Bastian-Blessing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application May l, 1939, Serial No. 271,089

13 Claims. (Cl. (i2- 1) This invention relates to an apparatus for and a method of storing and dispensing fluid material. One application of the invention is in connection with liquefied hydro-carbons. An object of the invention is to provide means in the storage and dispensing system for preventing any liquid material from reaching the point of use. Another object is to provide means and a method whereby the heat present in the storage container is` utilized to vaporize any liquid present in the fluid stream after the latter has left the container. Another object is to provide pressure reducing and heat exchanging means in connection with .a system of the type indicated for insuring complete vaporization.

Other objects will appear from time to time throughout the specification and the claims.

The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawing which is a diagrammatic sectional view of one form of the system with parts omitted and parts in elevation.

As shown, the system is buried in the ground I. The system includes a storage tank 2 to which a filler connection or pipe 3 is connected. This pipe extends into a box 4 which is formed of tile or any other suitable material and buried in the ground. A cover 5 is provided for the box. Heat insulating material 6 may be positioned in the box if desired. l

At its upper end the tube or conduit 3 has mounted upon it a head fitting 'l which comprises a ller connection 8, a safety or relief valve connection 9 and a slip-tube gauge tting IIJ. The

details of the ller connection are not shown as they form no essential part of the invention. The same is true oi the relief valve which may be of any desired construction. The slip-tube gauge includes generally a gauge tube II and a handle or head I2 by means of which it may be raised or lowered. The slip tube may be omitted, if desired, as its presence or absence does not affect the general operation or utility of the invention. Ordinarily, a slip tube or other gauge is useful and will be present.

The discharge mechanism includes parts positioned largely outside of the tank 2 and housed generally within a closure I3 within a suitable hole or excavation in the ground I. Ordinarily, access to this enclosure is necessary only at very infrequent intervals and, for that reason, 1t may be closed in a semi-permanent manner. As shown, the enclosure includes a perforated plate I4 mounted on a bracket or ange I5. A second enclosure I6 is supported preferably on the upper 55 edges of the member I3. The space between the closures I4 and I6 may be lled with heat insulation I'I. A handle i8 may be provided for the -cover IE. Since the cover will be removed rarely, it may be convenient to bury it in the ground and, as shown, it is covered by a portion of earth I9. Only the handle I8 and the ring 2U protrude from the ground.

The discharge connection includes a valve housing 2l in which a valve, not shown, is positioned. The valve is provided with a handle 22 by means of which it may be opened and closed. As shown, the valve housing 2I may be joined to a short, tubular section 23 situated at such a height in the tank that gas in the tank. can find its Way yfreely into the tube and through it into the valve housing. A dip tube 24 is also provided to withdraw the liquefied hydrocarbons from the tank in their liquid phase. The tube 24 may be secured upon the section or coupling 23 or threaded directly into the inlet of the valve housing ZI. It extends toward the bottom of the tank and through it the liquid is raised to the interior of the housing 2I. Although it is preferred to employ the dip tube 24, its absence, either by accident or otherwise, will not prevent the system from dispensing gas for use in its vapor phase. The advantage of liquid eduction in the system shown is the dispensing of a dry gas having substantially a uniform B. t. u. content, as will be hereinafter described without danger of the system shutting down during heavy withdrawal.

The valve housing 2I is connected by a pipe 25 to a pressure regulator and reducer 26 within which the pressure of the gas or the liquid-whichever is present in the regulatoris reduced from that present in the tank to some lower figure. While the system is not limited to any particular pressure ranges, one typical use contemplates a pressure in the tank of approximately pounds per square inch and a reduction of the pressure of fluid passing through the regulator to a range between two and rive pounds per square inch.

When expansion occurs at the regulator, cooling also occurs and if the material was vaporized before it reached the regulator some condensation may occur. The heat exchanger assembly, which will now be described, is arranged to cause vaporization of liquid present in the system at this point. Fluid, vaporized or not, after leaving the regulator passes through a pipe 2l and into a heat exchanger coil 28 which lies Within the storage tank. As shown, this coil is a simple loop of pipe lying wholly or partially in the liquid above the bottom of the contents of the tank. The inven- '2 as a vaporization means.

tion is not limited to any shape or position of the heat exchanger. It might be entirely positioned close to the bottom of the storage tank. It might be formed of a helical coil of pipe. Any shape and any arrangement of the heat exchanger which accomplishes the purpose of this invention is satisfactory.

Material after passing through the heat exchanger moves through a pipe or conduit 29 which passes through a basement wall 3d into the interior of the basement 3l. A valve 32 is provided in the pipe 29-preierably within the house or basement-and may be used to shut 01T the system when desired. When this valve is open, gas may flow into the house and to the point of use.

A second or final regulator 33 may be installed in the line to insure satisfactory and uniform regulation of the pressure of the gas as it moves to the point of use. meter, may, also, be supplied if desired.

The regulator 26 may be provided with a breather tube, as shown, which extends upwardly from it and which has its lower end extending into a bottle or container 34 which is secured Vto the tube by a member 35, which may be a cork,

a bail or any suitable supporting means. This member 35 is provided with perforations to permit air to pass into and out of the bottle or container 34. Glycerine or some analogous fluid is provided in the container 35, as shown, at 36 and the end '37 of the breather tube is immersed in it.

Although I have shown an operative form of my device, it will be understood that many changes in the form, shape and arrangement of parts 'might bel made without departing from the spirit of my invention; rand I wish that my showing 'be taken as in a sense diagrammatic.

The use and operation of 'this invention are as follows:

In general, the apparatus and the method disclosed utilize the heat stored in the rmain tank In the past, apparatuses of 'the general type involved have involved one or two or possibly more connections to the tank, preferably located all together. In the present embodiment of my system, two pipes are'used but the connections are separate and, preferably, are located sothat they pass through the tank wall at quite diierent'parts of the tank. As shown, the filling connection is adjacent one end of the tank and this connection embodies .a .filler connection and a vapor return k connection and preferably, also.' a slip tube gauge `or other gauging means. There is kno means at this general location for a gas take-off from which gas 'is taken from the tank to be conducted to the-point of use. Preferably, also, insulation is provided around the filler connection. Preferably at or near the other end of the tank, the take-ofi connection is provided. lThis may involve either a dip tube for taking liquid out of the tank or a vapor outlet for taking vapor from the tank, or

both. Ordinarily, 'vapor will collect at the top of 'the tank and ifthe take-olf connection is in communication 'only with the top of the tank, only vapor will be removed; but if a dip tube is added which extends toward the bottom and preilerably nearly to the bottom of the tank, then iquid may be taken off. If both are used, then both liquid and vapor may be taken off.

Whether vapor alone or liquid alone vor a mixture of liquid and vapor is taken off, the existing pressure is reduced by the regulator 26.

It will be understood that in the tank the Other accessories, such as a 4 liqueed gas may have almost any vapor pressure from practically nothing to a relatively high point, depending upon the nature of the gas. For this purpose, under many conditions, a relatively7 high vapor pressure is advantageous but the system is not limited in its use to such a high vapor pressure.

The liquid or the gas or the combined liquid and gas in passing from the regulator where its pressure is reduced is vaporized with an accompanying refrigerating action. Frequently, it becomes so cold that only a partial vaporization occurs and there will then be a mixture of liquid and gas passing from the discharge outlet of the regulator into the tube 21. Since there is, thus, some liquid present, the stream of gas is not in satisfactory condition for use and further vaporization is necessary, The stream of combined gas and liquid is, therefore, conducted into the vaporizing coil 28, which lies within the tank and is wholly or. largely submergedin the liquid of the tank. The heat necessary to vaporize the unvaporized portion of the gas stream is taken from the mass of liquid in the tank and, thus, as 'the stream of gas passes through the coil 23 it will be completely vaporized and only vapor will leave the coil 28 to pass inwardly through the pipe 29 to the point of use.

The invention in its operation is'not limited to the particular shape and arrangement or parts shown. Preferably, a separate valve is provided in the housing 2! so that the system may be `cut off at the tank, if desired. The `regulator 26 and valve housing 2 i normally do notneed inspection and they may be closed, as shown, so that they are accessible, if necessary; but may normally be considered as buriedV andnot subject to constant inspection'or' adjustment. It is possible, also, to provide a valve 32 in the house or closer to the point of use so that the system may be cut off at that point, if desired,4 and frequently, also, a regu'- Ylator 33 `is provided to make certain that the gas will be'suppli'ed to the point of use at the proper pressure and that this pressure will be held uniform.

In systems of the pastw'here batch vaporisation has been used-that is, where vapor is withdrawn from the top of the tank-the lighter fractions will go off rst and a condition might develop in which there islittle or no vapor pressure toward the end, even thougha good deal of liquid may remain `in the tank. This might occur if the .short member 23 were used alone. While such systems under certain conditions operate satisfactorily, there is always the danger that they will not. In the present system,v where the dip tube 24 is used alone and where liquid is withdrawn or wherel liquid and vapor may pass ofi' togeth'erfrom the tank `through the dip tube, this situation 'cannot occur 'because the lighter fractions cannot all go off first since the dip tube 24 extends to 'apoint close to the bottom @of the tank'where the heavier fractions would `might also occur. AThe -glyc'erine prevents `this.

In the first place, it tends to prevent the entrance of moisture into the breather tube and into the regulator. In the second place, if moisture does enter, it will become mixed with the glycerine, which acts as an anti-freeze and prevents freezing of the moisture in the breather tube or in the regulator. Thus, means are provided, first, to prevent the entrance of moisture and, second, to prevent freezing of moisture should it finally enter either the breather tube or the regulator. This arrangement is of particular importance because the regulator and associated parts are intended to be buried so that they are accessible only with dii'lculty and7 therefore, means are provided to make their operation as safe and certain as possible and to avoid as lfar as possible any necessity of opening the cavity within which they are located.

I claim:

l. In a buried liqueiied gas storage and dispensing system the combination of a buried gas tank, a take-off connection in communication therewith and comprising a conduit means in communication with the interior of the tank at a point below the surface of the earth, a pressure reducing regulator positioned in communication with said conduit disposed below the surface of the earth, buried means dening a cavity and enclosing said pressure reducing regulator and a portion of said conduit, a semi-permanent closure therefor, and means associated with said pressure reducing regulator adapted to prevent entrance of moisture thereinto and to prevent freezing of moisture therein.

2. In a buried liqueed gas storage and dispensing system the combination of a buried gas tank, a take-oir connection in communication therewith and comprising a conduit means in communication with the interior of said tank at a point below the surface of the earth, a pressure reducing regulator positioned in communication with said conduit and below the surface of the earth, buried means deiining a cavity and enclosing said pressure reducing regulator in a portion of said conduit, a semi-permanent closure therefor, means associated with said pressure reducing regulator adapted to prevent entrance of moisture thereinto and to prevent lfreezing of moisture therein, said means including a breather tube communicating with the interior of said regulator, and means surrounding the outer end of said breather tube, said surrounding means including a body of water soluble liquid.

3. In a liquid gas dispensing system, a device for vaporizing liqueed petroleum gas comprising a regulator including a breather tube, a buried container, and a pipe mounted inside the container as a permanent part of the device, means for connecting the regulator in communication with the pipe, means for introducing liquid into said container in heat exchange contact with the pipe to provide a level of liquid therein receiving heat from the earth, and means for venting the breather tube to a body of uid having antifreeze properties.

Ll. In a liqueiied petroleum gas dispensing system the combination of a pressure tank for storing a body of liquefied petroleum gas under pressure, means for withdrawing liqueed petroleum gas from the tank in its liquid phase including a conduit section having its inlet adjacent the bottom of said tank, means to reduce the pressure of said withdrawn liquid to cause vaporization thereof including a pressure reducing regulator connected to the outlet oi said section lli and a `breather tube for the pressure reducing regulator interconnecting the interior oi said regulator with a supply of fluid whose freezing point is below the Ifreezing point of water.

5. In a liqueiied petroleum gas dispensing system the combination of a pressure tank for storing a body of liquefied petroleum gas under .pressures as high as nity pounds per square inch gauge pressure, means for withdrawing liqueed petroleumgas lfrom the tank in its liquid phase including a conduit section having its inlet adiacent the bottom of said tank, means to reduce the pressure of said withdrawn liquid to as little as one-tenth oi its vapor pressure to cause vaporization thereof including a pressure-reducing valve connected to the outlet of said section, and a breather tube for the pressure reducing valve `placing the interior of said regulator in communipressure reducing regulator adapted to prevent entrance of moisture thereinto and to prevent freezing or moisture therein, said means including a breather tube communicating with the interior of said regulator, and a cup mounted on the end of the breather tube containing a body of glycerine submerging the end oit the tube.

7. In a liqueiied petroleum gas storage and dispensing system the combination oi' a pressure storage tank for receiving and storing a body oi' liquened petroleum gas in both its liquid and vapor phases buried in the ground below the frost line thereof, means defining a compartment adjacent one end of the tank covered by earth ll to protect it from low atmospheric temperatures, eduction devices including conduits and a pressure regulator disposed in said compartment and secured to the tank, and a filler pipe extending upwardly to approximately the surface of the earth and spaced from said compartment, said pipe being surrounded by earth ll above the tank, and said compartment and pipe having earth iill disposed between them to insulate the compartment from any escape of heat from the compartment by conduction thereof through the fill pipe to the atmosphere, said tank otherwise being completely surrounded by earth on all sides including the top.

8. In a liqueiied gas dispensing system of the class described having a storage tank buried underground in heat exchange relationship with the surrounding earth and adapted by a standpipe portion thereof to be lled from. above the ground level, a delivery conduit communicating with the tank and extending to a point of use; a pressure reducing regulator in said delivery conduit disposed adjacent to the tank to absorb some heat therefrom; and earth fill between the regulator and the ground level and between the regulator and the standpipe to insulate the regulator from atmospheric temperatures.

9. The combination called for in claimS in which the delivery conduit includes a section having its inlet adjacent to the bottom of the tank and its outlet connected to the inlet of the pressure reducing regulator.

10J The 'combination "called-`l foi- "inI v"claim 8fvin Whichthe lowest pointn the delivery onduitis disposed inheat` exchange- -ifelations'hip'v1 with? the fluid contents ofthe tank.

11. The combination VVcalledffor lin-claim 8y in which the delivery conduit includes afscond p'r'essure regula'toi` located downstreamfrorn-the other 'regulator for reducingtha-pressuie-fof fuelgs to `a'lse'rvice pressure.

'12.' The combination called for vinclaimfiinbinding' a walled cmsurefmeans 'in 'which-the fre'gul'atoz isdisposed, said "walled closure Vmeans' being insulated from atmospheric tempratures and coveredhy said-eaitnll disposed 'betwe'e'nthe igul'ator andA the ground level.

'13; 'Thecombina'tion 'called lforin claim 8in Wliichi'said delive'iy' conduit" includes' a Vaporizer portion connected to 'thebutletof 'said' regulator adassociatedwlth the' tank in' heat"xch'aii'ge relationship with the' content'of the tank.

CfBUTTNER.

8 `IllRNCS C'I'ID The following references are of record inthe leof this 1 patent:

f 'NTITED'STA'IES PATENTS Number Name `Date A1,752,165 Ford Mar. k25, 1930 l ,157 52,166 Ford Mai. 25, 1930 1,935,925 Wannack Nov. 21, 1933 I12,100,474 Fish Nov. 30, 1937 92,155,179 Buttner 'Aprl. 18, 1939 i :2,155,340 vStroud Apr. 18,1939 2,166,912 y Little-- v r July 18, 1939 y2,260,356 White -1 Oct,'28, 1941 2,418,466 `Anderson v v n Apr. 8, 1947 OTHER- REFERENCES Pages 52, 53, 54, 55, and 70 of the magazine Gasfl-March 1937. 

